Gate-fastener.



PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908. '1, J. THOMPSON.

' GATE FASTENBR.

APPLIQATION FILED 41,126. 1908.

THEODORE J. THOMPSON, OF LAKESIDE, NEBRASKA.

GATE-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1908.

Application filed January 25, 1908. Serial No. 412,661.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE J. THOMP- soN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lakeside, in the county of Sheridan and State ofNebraska, have invented a new and useful Gate-Fastener, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to gate fasteners, more especially to such gatesas are formed in wire fences; and has for its object to rovide afastening for the top of the gate W ich shall be cheap, simple andsecure, and besides forming a fastener for said gate it also acts on thegate end to holdthe wire strands thereof under tension.

With this object in view the invention consists of the construction,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing which re resents a perspective view of a portion 0 a wirefence, a

wire gate, and the fastener therefor complete and in locked position, 1indicates a terminal fence post to which the ends of the fence strands 2are attached, 3 the end post of the gate and 4 one of the gate strands.

Bolted or otherwise fastened to one side of the fence post 1 near itstop is an offset bracket 5 extending above the top of the post andcarrying on its upper end a straight hand lever 6 fulcrumed to the innerside of the bracket by a pivot in or bolt 7 intermediate its ends.parallel to the fence and its longer arm projects some distancerearwardly of the gate,

post 3 andserves to operate the fastener 8. To the shorter arm 9 of thehand lever, one end of the gate fastener 8 is pivoted, the other end ofthe fastener when in operative position is in engagement with the endpost 3 of the gate. The fastener 8 is made of metal and preferably inthe form of an elongated loop 10 adapted to fit over the gate post 3,and having a projection 11 at one end by means of which the fastener ispivoted to the short end of the hand lever 9 by a bolt 9. Either strapor plate, or cast metal may be used in the construction of the fastenerbut strap or plate metal is preferred as it can be The ban lever6-isapproximately quickly bent into shape and is stronger than cast metal.

. On the short end 9 of the hand lever is a finger 12 which projectsover that end 11 of the fastener which is pivoted to said short end ofthe lever.

Assuming that the gate is closed and it is desired to open it, the leveris grasped by the hand and raised in the direction indicated by thearrow. During this movement of the lever the fastener 8 is being loweredat its end pivotally connected to the lever and carried rearwardly awayfrom the gate post 3. This movement of the gate fastener continuesuntilthe hand lever 6 reaches about the position indicated by dottedlines, at which point the finger 12 having been carried below theprojection 1.1 on the fastener 8, engages said projection and lifts theloop 10 on further movement of the hand lever, and swings it over thetop of the gate and fence posts behind the latter leaving the passagewayfree of any projections extending thereinto. After passing through thegate it is fastened by a reverse movement of the loop and hand-lever,the grip end of the latter being carried below its ivot bolt so that thepivotally attached emf of the fastener will be raised above said pivotbolt and thereby self locked.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: 1

1. A gate fastener comprising a bracket fastened to a fence 0st andextending above the same, a hand ever fulcrumed intermediate its ends onthe upper end of said bracket, an elongated metal loop adapted to fitover the gate post and having a projection pivoted to the shorter arm ofsaid leverin such manner that the gate post is drawn towards the fencepost or relieved from strain as the hand lever is moved toward or awayfrom said gate and means on said lever adapt ed to lift said loop oversaid gate post.

2. A gate fastener comprising a bracket fastened to a fence 0st andextending above the same, a hand ever fulcrumed intermediate its ends onthe up er end of said bracket, an elongated meta loop adapted to fitover the gate post and having a projection pivoted to the shorter arm ofsaid lever in such manner that the gate post is drawn to- Wards thefence post or relieved from strain as the hand lever is moved toward oraway from said gate, and a lug on said lever adapted to extend beneathsaid loop and raise the same.

THEODORE J. THOMPSON.

Witnesses F. S. MOCLAIN, A. H. MALASKI.

